The Latest: Trump says he backs new GOP health care effort

Senate Budget Committee members Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., left, and Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., leave a closed-door meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Trump's top economic adviser Gary Cohn, as they struggle with a tax code overhaul, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. The as-yet-undrafted bill to overhaul the tax code is the top priority for Trump and Republicans after the collapse of their effort to dismantle Barack Obama's health care law. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

By:StaffThe Associated Press Published on

WASHINGTON — The Latest on Congress and health care legislation (all times local):

2 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he supports a new effort by two Republican senators to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's signature health care law.

Trump says in a statement Wednesday that "inaction is not an option." He applauds Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy for "continuing to work toward a solution."

Their legislation would do away with many of the subsidies and mandates of the 2010 law. It would provide block grants to states to help individuals pay for health coverage.

Previous attempts this year to repeal "Obamacare" have failed, and with attention shifting to a tax overhaul, it's unclear how much energy the White House will put into the Graham-Cassidy effort.

The White House issued the statement after Graham used a news conference to urge Trump to "pick up the phone" and round up support from governors.

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11:47 a.m.

Four Republican senators are introducing a long-shot attempt to roll back much of former President Barack Obama's health insurance law.

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina says the bill "is the best and only" chance for repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act.

The senators are unveiling their legislation at a news conference Wednesday on Capitol Hill.

The legislation seeks to do away with the various subsidies and mandates that encompass the current health law and instead provides block grants to the states to help individuals pay for health coverage.

The senators say states are better equipped than Washington to determine how best to meet the needs of their residents.

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9 a.m.

Sen. Bernie Sanders is offering legislation to expand Medicare to provide health insurance for all Americans.

They would get health coverage simply by showing a new government-issued card. And they'd no longer owe out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles.

But the Vermont independent's description of the legislation lacks specifics about how much it would cost and final decisions about how he'd pay for it.

Sanders was unveiling his bill Wednesday, the same day Republican senators were rolling out details of a last-ditch effort to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's health care law.

Sanders' bill won't go anywhere with President Donald Trump in the White House and Republicans controlling Congress. But it's a touchstone for the Democratic Party's liberal, activist base.

The Republican effort to dismantle Obama's law is also a long shot.

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4:06 a.m.

Liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders is ready to unveil his bill for creating a system where the government provides health insurance for everybody.

Republican senators are ready to release details of a last-ditch effort to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's health care law.

Republican senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Louisiana's Bill Cassidy are releasing a plan to dismantle Obama's statute. So far, they're having trouble rounding up the votes they'd need to prevail.

Sanders' proposal is to expand Medicare to cover all Americans.

Liberals love the Vermont independent's package. But many Democrats worry Republicans will accuse them of wanting a huge tax increase to pay for it.